The New Year 2023

When a new year rolls around, most people make resolutions.  Not me!  Well, I used to, but always failed  to keep them.  So now, instead of resolutions, I make goals.  Goals can be adjusted as life gets in the way.  I find it less stressful to meet my goals for the year if I have the power to adjust or tweak them.  Why would I want to put extra stress on my life because of a New Year's resolution.  

So this year my goals are to get some projects completed that have been hanging around the quilting room.  We quilters call them UFP's (UnFinished Projects).  On my list are the following that will be updated throughout the year:

    1.  Love Letters.  This is an applique quilt that my daughter Amy purchased and then realized she didn't like applique.  Well she really knew that BEFORE she made the purchase, but that's beside the point.  Therefore, Mom gets the Block of the Month.  I have 6 blocks finished and 3 more to make and then put the quilt together, quilt it and give it back to her to bind.  This is a project that I have had for at least 5 years.  Time to finish and move it out of here.

    2.  Wool Tray Mat.  This was purchased a quilt market in 2017.  It's almost completed except for a few additional embroidery stitches and then the finish.  Why has it been hanging out in the bag for years?

    3.  Prairie Days.  This BOM was purchased on a whim. The applique pieced are pre-fused and thought it would be a fast project to display in the summer.  Well, it was, until I also purchased on a whim, 6 other pre-fused BOM's in 2020.   There are only 3 left to do and this is one of them.  Four blocks as completed and 6 more to go.

    4.  Frosty Goes to Town.  This is #2 of the other three I need to finish.  Two of the 7 blocks are finished.

    5.  Christmas Lane.  This is #3 of the other three I need to finish.  Half way there with 7 of 14 blocks completed.

    6.  Civil War Sampler.  As quilters, we all jump on when a quilting buddy starts a project and we just can't let them do it alone.  One of the Queenagers (save that for another post) was starting this as a BOM from a quilt shop in Texas.  She brought it to our sew day in 2021 and Margaret and I both had the book already so we decided to keep her company through this project.  Margaret finished hers, I have 21 of the 72 blocks completed and not sure where Sharon stands on the project.  So, this year, I plan to sew a few blocks each month till completed.

    7.  Threads of the Civil War.  I just want to say that this top is completely pieced.  There are just a few appliques and some embroidery that needs to be done and then it can go the the quilter (me)! Years ago (2003) Lynne Hagmeier (Kansas Troubles) designed a series of 4 quilts,  Piecing the Trail to Kansas (top done), this one, Stitches on the Oregon Trail (top done) and Kansas/Oregon Quilt Connection (still in the original kit).  Why after 20 years am I still moving it around.  Time to get this one finished!

    8.  Anna's Basket quilt by Laundry Basket.  I have 4 of the nine sets finished and am determined to get this done.  I loved piecing this and it did go by pretty fast when I was working on it.  This is a fairly new project, only a couple of years old.

    9.  Pillows.  Back in 2016 at the quilt shop, we did a BOM where we featured a pillow kit each month.  The sample went fast and I did finished 3 of the 12 pillow (cases).  They are pre-fused and have a little embroidery and piecing to them.  I want to get these finished because I now have a place to display them monthly.

    10.  Antique Wedding Sampler by Di Ford Hall.  Started in 2016, the 25 blocks (some intense) are complete and just put away till I could get the setting triangles appliqued with broderie perse.  Well, I put 2 of the 12 on my Queenager's Challenge list for December.  They went so well, that I just finished the remaining and have all 12 done.  Just have the 4 corners and I can start auditioning fabric for the sashing and outer border this month.

    11.  Holiday Houses is another BOM project from the shop from 2015.  I have 2 of the 12 completed and hope to get some more done this year.  I would like to complete the series, but if I could get just 5 more I would be happy.  Let's see how they go.

I still have a list of monthly projects that I will be working on.  I will present those throughout the year as I get to them.  But the list above are my goals for the year.  Remember--goals can be adjusted!

I hope you will make a list of "goals" for your quilting in 2023.  Let me know how they are going below in the comment section.  

Happy New Year to all!

Jan